Like most people, I was brought up to look upon life as a process of getting. It was not until in my late thirties that I made this important 36 : giving-away makes life so much more exciting. You need not worry if you 37 money.
This is how I 38 with giving-away. If an idea for improving the window display of a neighborhood store 39 to me, I step in and make the suggestion to the 40 . If an accident takes place, the 41 of which I think the local police could use, I 42 him up and tell him about it, though I am not in 43 here. One discovery I made about this world is to give 44 getting something back, though the 45 often comes in an unexpected form.
One Sunday morning the local post office delivered an important 46 letter to my home, though it was 47 to me at my office. I wrote the postmaster a note of 48 . More than a year later I needed a post-office box for a new business I was 49 . I was told at the window that there were 50 boxes left, and that my name would have to go on a long 51 list. As I was about to 52 , the postmaster appeared in the 53 .“Wasn’t it you that wrote us that letter a year ago about delivering a special delivery to your home?” I said it was. “Well, you certainly are going to have a box in this post office 54 we make one for you. You don’t know what a letter like that means to us. We usually get 55 but complaints（投诉）.”
36．A．decision B．research C．speech D．discovery
37．A．earn B．lack C．spend D．steal
38．A．experienced B．connected C．combined D．agreed
39．A．happens B．flashes C．sticks D．leads
40．A．postmaster B．headmaster C．storekeeper D．policeman
41．A．story B．damage C．challenge D．material
42．A．call B．hold C．break D．pick
43．A．need B．trouble C．common D．charge
44．A．within B．without C．for D．before
45．A．process B．goal C．return D．concern
46．A．curious B．immediate C．special D．heavy
47．A．realized B．addressed C．forgotten D．brought
48．A．invitation B．apology C．instruction D．appreciation
49．A．dealing B．providing C．operating D．starting
50．A．enough B．some C．no D．more
51．A．admitting B．relating C．examining D．waiting
52．A．leave B．shout C．guess D．conduct
53．A．window B．doorway C．library D．yard
54．A．in case B．now that C．even if D．as if
55．A．anything B．everything C．nothing D．something
A great many people are disappointed because of unrealistic expectations.
Walking up to a department store’s 1 counter, an attractive young woman said, “I want to buy this material for a new dress. How much does it cost?”
“Only one 2 per yard,” replied the smirking (自鸣得意的) male clerk.
Not to be taken back by the funny words, the woman said, “That’s fine! I’ll take ten yards.”
With 3 written all over his face, the clerk hurriedly 4 out and wrapped the cloth, and then held it out teasingly, leaning forward to receive his “ 5 ”.
The woman got the package quickly from the clerk and pointed to a little old 6 standing beside her. “Grandpa will pay the bill instead of me,” she 7 .
He was no doubt disappointed. But in the course of living, many people are 8 when others do not 9 their expectations. In order to be happy, some expectations must be dropped. These three particular 10 and unhealthy expectations are some of the main causes:
1. Expect too much 11 .When others say, “Thank you,” or in any way to show their gratitude, be happy. It is a gift!
2. Expect others to make you happy. They simply cannot do that. Make yourself happy and 12 your joy with others.
3. Expect not to be 13 . At times, people will simply not come through for you in the way you need. 14 them and move on.
Get rid of these three unrealistic expectations and you can begin to expect more15 right away!
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A friend of mine was sitting in the living room one day when his cat dragged in a little “gift” in its mouth—a dead animal of some sort. Taking a closer look, he was surprised to 36 it as the bunny(小兔子) that 37 Mary, the young daughter of the family next door. My friend felt 38 , believing his cat had killed Mary’s bunny.
My quick-thinking friend came up with a plan. 39 from the cat’s mouth the dead animal, which by now was a 40 mess, he put it in the kitchen sink. With a little warm water and some shampoo, he tried to 41 the dead bunny as best he could. Then he took a hair dryer and blowdried the bunny 42 it looked pretty good.
Finally, under the cover of darkness, he crept into the next-door garden and placed it 43 in the cage. He managed to make the bunny look very 44 there in his little box.
The next morning, my friend looked out of the window and noticed a crowd of people 45 around the rabbit hutch(笼). Everyone seemed to be talking and pointing. My friend 46 to go over and act like any normal 47 neighbor and find out what was going on.
When he got there, Mary’s mother said to my friend, “You won’t believe this! It’s a(n) 48 thing! Mary’s bunny 49 a few days ago, and we buried that little bunny right over there…”
Have you ever tried to cover up one wrongdoing with another? Covering up only makes matters 50 .
When we get caught doing something 51 , for example, we may 52 to cover it up with a lie. But just like Mary’s bunny, the result is 53 what we expected. We 54 looking foolish. We would have been better off admitting we were wrong and accepting the 55 . What do you think of it?
A．treat B．catch C．appreciate D．recognize
A．looked for B．got along C．belonged to D．resulted from
A．pleased B．terrible C．confused D．excited
A．Looking B．Removing C．Preventing D．Hearing
A．dirty B．lovely C．gifted D．strange
A．dress up B．bring up C．clean up D．make up
A．whenever B．though C．before D．until
A．carefully B．strangely C．especially D．wonderfully
A．serious B．accurate C．balanced D．natural
A．cheered B．gathered C．ran D．looked
A．wished B．decided C．hesitated D．meant
A．anxious B．discouraged C．wise D．curious
A．strange B．difficult C．committed D．annoying
A．passed away B．ran away C．set out D．went up
A．more B．worse C．better D．faster
A．exciting B．perfect C．strange D．wrong
A．refuse B．attempt C．promise D．pretend
A．often B．just C．always D．never
A．get down B．end up C．go through D．set out
A．consequences B．opportunities C．expectations D．choices
My first memories of acts of kindness are from when I was about 12 years old．I always 21 people as soon as possible with whatever they needed．
At that time, I noticed that many 22 people had difficulty going to the grocery store 23 a snowstorm．I would spend part of a 24 Saturday knocking on my elderly neighbor’s apartment doors to ask if they 25 anything from the store．The 26 was down a hill and I would bring back a couple of bags of goods for them．I liked it and it made them so 27 , too．
My friends asked me 28 I was doing and after some time some of them 29 in and it became a 30 as time went by．I 31 asked for money for what I did, but sometimes the old ladies would 32 the change in my pocket secretly．The next time I would buy some flowers or cards for them．
When I went to college, many of these people would 33 my mother about me, 34 my mother didn’t always know who they were．It was through those 35 between my mother and these people that she 36 what I used to do for them — I had never told her．
I 37 helping others when I was 12 and it 38 until today．Now, I’m a teacher and teaching my students the art of true 39 ．At first I wrote this for my diary, but my mother said why not 40 it with everyone．I hope this inspires younger people and the old alike．
A．helped B．gave C．cared D．offered
A．lazy B．tired C．kind D．old
A．after B．before C．until D．since
A．fine B．snowy C．funny D．busy
A．got B．fetched C．needed D．took
A．store B．factory C．hospital D．college
A．sad B．happy C．strange D．young
A．whether B．when C．why D．what
A．turned B．looked C．gave D．joined
A．rule B．habit C．tradition D．custom
A．never B．usually C．always D．sometimes
A．put B．choose C．save D．keep
A．think B．ask C．guess D．find
A．but B．and C．so D．or
A．conversations B．discussion C．statements D．speeches
A．knew from B．thought over C．learned about D．talked about
A．finished B．started C．stopped D．lasted
A．pauses B．remains C．continues D．follows
A．love B．kindness C．friendship D．honesty
A．show B．divide C．deliver D．share
Growing trees in the concrete jungle of Los Angels brings neighbors benefits beyond beauty.
As the 36 of TreePeople, a nonprofit organization he founded in 1973, Andy, now 54, has inspired hundreds of thousands of volunteers to 37 plant more than two million trees throughout Southern California.
Tree People 38 tools, blueprints, planting demonstrations, and tree-care supervisors free to all the participants, 39 me. “You will need their support,” Andy said, referring to my neighbors. “ 40
the community behind you, the trees you plant will die in five years.” So I started knocking on doors, hoping to share 41 I’d learnt in Tree People’s seminar(培训班) about the critical role of trees in removing smog from the 42 , cooling our homes and preventing water runoff.
Strange 43 it may seem, some people are afraid of trees. “The roots destroy sidewalks,” one neighbor said, “ 44 will ruin my pipes. And I don’t want leaves.”45 told me.
When I called Andy about the 46 I was getting from my neighbors, he encouraged me to keep trying. So my son and my wife delivered cookies while I went door to door. It 47 us half a year to sign permission forms from 16 neighbors for 21 trees.
When the big day arrived, I was excited and 48 . What if I threw a planting tree and 49 else came? But as I set out shovels(铁铲), my son and wife made cakes and doughnuts, 50 started to gather. Friends brought friends. Neighbors came with cousins and grandchildren. A local middle school even 51 with half the seventh grade. More than 300 people joined us.
Then Andy led us in a 52 : welcoming each tree into the world and 53 it name. After the ceremony, as I shook hands with volunteers and my neighbors, I 54 help but feel we’d accomplished 55 great. After all, trees need people, and people need trees.
A．friend B．interviewer C．president D．volunteer
A．bravely B．actively C．anxiously D．generously
A．supports B．affords C．shows D．provides
A．including B．considering C．containing D．reminding
A．For B．Without C．With D．Except
A．what B．which C．that D．how
A．cloud B．wind C．sky D．air
A．while B．if C．however D．as
A．You B．I C．They D．It
A．The other B．Another C．Other D．Others
A．resistance B．acceptance C．agreement D．praise
A．spent B．paid C．took D．covered
A．moved B．disappointed C．surprised D．nervous
A．everybody B．nobody C．somebody D．anybody
A．volunteers B．journalists C．friends D．neighbors
A．made up B．took up C．showed up D．cheered up
A．ceremony B．march C．activity D．celebration
A．calling B．leaving C．making D．giving
A．wouldn’t B．shouldn’t C．couldn’t D．needn’t
A．anything B．something C．nothing D．everything
In my whole childhood I focused on training to play professional soccer. Through the mid 90’s I 36 through Olympic training and on June 13,1997 I was 37 with a minor league team, when a 16-year-old boy ran a stop sign(闯红灯).That night 38 my life. I was on my motorcycle and got 39 by a car, partly disabling me six months. I lost most of my memory, 40 coma (昏迷)symptom and had to learn to 41 all over. During the coming 24 months of physical treatment I changed my 42 of life.
I began making 43 as if each day was my last day 44. Before the 45 , I was studying at a university. I was taught that the 46 of life was to study career skills and pursue financial 47. After returning from near death I went 48 searching. I traveled through the native reservation of the northern USA and witnessed the most extreme 49. I slowly realized there was so much more to 50 than just doing things for myself. I started listening to the people I met and 51 to help them any way possible.
Everywhere I stayed I met 52 people telling me stories about 53 the earth and making better use of nature’s energy. In 2005 my father quickly died from cancer and I 54 the desire to do much of anything for myself. I started looking for well-off people to aid those 55. I’ve ac
cumulated a list of people nearing life threatening situations or those trying to make a major effect on the world and now I try to help them full time.
A．advanced B．fought C．looked D．won
A．playing B．working C．competing D．coming
A．corrected B．influenced C．destroyed D．changed
A．run B．hit C．knocked D．stuck
A．spread B．caught C．showed D．suffered
A．walk B．talk C．eat D．drive
A．duty B．view C．course D．dream
A．decisions B．discoveries C．promises D．studies
A．possible B．available C．present D．alive
A．event B．experience C．difficulty D．disaster
A．reality B．value C．purpose D．content
A．balance B．situation C．stability D．expense
B．spirit C．heart D．soul
A．poverty B．anxiety C．anger D．simplicity
A．nature B．society C．life D．happiness
A．refused B．volunteered C．tended D．learned
A．wonderful B．famous C．wealthy D．cautious
A．developing B．exploring C．respecting D．understanding
A．realized B．controlled C．gained D．lost
A．in despair B．in need C．in touch D．in season